I have a couple of questions for people that are hs older children. I have an 11 yo son who I am seriosly thinking about hs starting this summer. He is very smart and has been in the gifted program in his school. The problem is that there is no funding for that program anymore and he'll have to go into regular classes full time. The time that he already spends in regular classes is boring to him. He's also getting old enough that he doesn't see the point in filling out worksheet after worksheet that are WAY to easy for him....and I can't say I blame him. This child has never brought home any homework, he does in all in class while he's waiting for his classmates to finish their work. He has always recieved straight A's, and I know he's not even trying.

He and I have always done alot of educational things, mostly science and math stuff since they are his best subjects. He loves to learn.

I guess that even though I've been hs him on top of sending him to regular school I'm intimidated to take on the full responsibility of teaching him. He is actually the one that has brought it up, and has asked me several times now if I would consider it.

I guess I wondering where to start. I've found alot of curriculums for younger children and was looking for suggestions for ones for older kids. I also wanted to ask about the socialization issue most people seem to have with hs. My son has never really been a really social kid. He prefers adults to kids and always has. He was seeing a therapist for a little while and she suggested that he might have Aspbergers Syndrome and wanted to have him tested. I decided that that since the "treatment" for Aspbergers was essentially what we were doing already that I didn't want him to have any labels that could affect him.....so I stopped the therepy. My point in all that rambling is that he already has some social issues. I don't think that he sees people his age as his peers. So, while I don't really think regular school will help him, I just don't want to hurt him socially. Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks!

Personally for a child his age and giftedness, you might want to look into unschooling, also called child-led learning, let him figure out what it is he wants to learn about and help him find out the best way to do that. They was a wonderful article in the lates issure of "the old schoolhouse" magazine. As far as socialization goes, check out some groups in your area, and go on some fieldtrips or try a sport but I wouldn't force him. If he can interact with adults, he's doing better than most children in public school, when his peers cathc up with him, he'll be fine.

My mother MADE me invite two of my peers to my 13th birthday. The rest of the guests were 20-somethings or older. I don't think it's effected me socially. I can interact with all groups of people. People my own age were just way to immature for me to have a meaningful conversation with them.

I think it is a great idea to homeschool your son. As you say you are already doing it, and I agree with a type of unschooling, at least having him have a part in the planning. Planning is an important step and I think you will feel more confident when you have something down on paper.